Wind turbines typically include a rotor having multiple blades mounted to a hub. The rotor is supported from within a nacelle of the wind turbine that also houses drivetrain components, such as a rotor shaft, gearbox, generator, and potentially a converter and a transformer. A tower provides support for and elevates the nacelle above the ground or sea. The tower is supported from below by a foundation.
The design of the foundation is highly influenced by the site of the wind turbine and its geotechnical considerations. In offshore applications, monopile foundations, gravity-based foundations, tripod foundations, and jacket-type foundations are well-known. The latter type typically includes three or four steel posts (“legs”) secured to the seabed with piles. A transition structure is mounted to the posts to provide a base for supporting the tower. Examples of this type of arrangement are disclosed in EP1813808B1 and WO2008064861A2.